No, Intel 6th generation cores are still relevant and can perform well for many tasks.
No, Intel 6th generation cores are still relevant and can perform well for many tasks.
Can't suggest purchasing used since the prices are quite high ($140 for a 6700k feels unreasonable), but if you already own one, they still perform well. Pairing an RX 6600 with a 6700k gives you a solid 1080p gaming setup.
It varies by task, but generally it's not old. Consider upgrading for the newest AAA titles or better performance.
Counting a generation involves looking at both marketing phases and the underlying design structure. Early Intel faced fabrication challenges that led to reusing parts across multiple generations. From a microarchitecture standpoint, it’s roughly two generations behind. Mobile chips like Ice Lake and Tiger Lake share similar designs but differ mainly in cache capacity. When compared to AMD, Skylake delivers around Zen+ to Zen 2 performance levels, surpassing AMD CPUs from two generations prior.
The cores remain largely consistent with the architecture of the 10th generation processors. When discussing specific Skylake units, calling them outdated implies the 10th gen refresh from the previous year is obsolete. For instance, the i3 10105 launched only in early 2021. The notion that Comet Lake was merely a step up from a prior refresh, especially with its 14nm+++∞ and later versions, was already discussed when the original 10th gen was introduced. Skylake still delivers solid performance per core. The challenges of the 6th generation stemmed from unchanged core counts for seven years, making it compete less effectively against Devil's Canyon. The new socket also hurt the 5th gen, disappointing those who bought Z97 boards. This situation contrasts with the more rapid obsolescence seen in Kaby Lake and Z270, where 8th gen arrived on an incompatible socket and quickly made older tech obsolete. Similarly, Rocket Lake and Z590 faced comparable issues months later. Overall, the Skylake 14nm era presented difficulties for Intel and its supporters, though optimism exists for future improvements under a new leadership.